THE WORST DAY

Originally Published the Week of June 9, 2022

What’s that saying?

A bad day fishing is better than a good day at work?

I don’t know who came up with that, but that’s a load.  Being in the fishing industry now for many many decades, a bad day fishing is just a bad day. 

Maybe not in the grand scheme of things, it’s not as terrible as say, losing your wallet or forgetting your anniversary, but you gotta admit, it’s a major disappointment.

From the standpoint of someone who runs a fishing operation, a client who comes back from fishing with zero fish may seem ambivalent.  But, you know they are disappointed.  I take it personally.  I feel like it’s MY fault.

My old Catholic School upbringing drops a load of guilt on me, as if I was to blame that the weather didn’t cooperate.  Or it’s my fault the bait was bad or the clients used the wrong lures. 

It is what it is.

Fortunately, down here in Baja, tomorrow can turn into a banner day which somewhat helps to alleviate the current angst.  There is always hope.

There was a time in my life, however, when a bad day for me on the water was the end of civilization as we know it.  If I came off the water after a bad day watch out!

It could be a day when I didn’t catch fish.  Or someone caught more or bigger fish than me.   My competitive streak was all puckered.

Grumpy is an understatement.  I would be fist-shaking-mad at the cosmos for daring to hand me such fate as a bad day of fishing.  Personally insulted and inconsolable.

Fortune-cookie sayings like “A bad day fishing is better than a good day at work” or “It’s fishing not catching” be damned.  A bad day is a bad day.  I should have gone to work.

That is, until I got on the water again and the fish started biting.  And just like that the world would right itself on an even keel.  

Funny how fishermen can be like that.  Guilty as charged.

But, I don’t think I’m that guy anymore.

I have good days.  And I have not-so-good-days.  But, I haven’t had a bad day in years.

Everyday is an 11.  Or a 10 at worst.

Even when I don’t catch fish.  Or someone catches more and bigger fish.

I’ve become quite content to let my wife catch more and bigger fish.  Or the kids.  Or whomever is on the boat with me.

Every day is a blessing and I appreciate just being out on the water. 

It’s so much more fun to watch everyone else have fun. It’s like going to Disneyland of the beach too often.  It can get old.

 And then one day, you bring the grandkids for the first time.  The magic comes back.  It’s brand new again.

Or it’s you and a buddy NOT catching any fish, but still kicking back with a cold one and just laughing and talking.  Some of the BEST talks!

And then there are the days when I’m alone on the water.  Just me.  No clients.  No kids.  No fishing buddy. 

No hooks to tie.  No one needs their backlashes untangled or hooks baited.  No one forgot their sunscreen.

Just me and the captain.

And the fish just aren’t having any of it.

Simple conversation.

The sunrise. 

The sound of the water under the bow.

The sun on my face and the taste of salt spray on my lips. 

My hand trailing in the water.

The homemade burritos just taste so much better and the beer in the ice chest just burns the back of my throat from that first icy chug.

Maybe a quick doze to the rhythm of the motor as we troll.

A cellphone that has zero bars of signal.

Bare feet and happy toes on the warm deck.

My worst day just ain’t that bad anymore.

That’s my story!

Jonathan